THE SEATTLE ROCK & ROLL HALF MARATHON 2019: The Cruise

PROLOGUE

The excitement built as we prepared for our first cruise.  As a Naval Officer in the late 90s, driving a warship along the Alaskan coast did not compare to the relaxation of a 7-day pleasure excursion.

Notoriously known for the gluttony of eating and sloth of lounging,  cruise ships furnish daily activities uncommon to me.  Determined to arrive on board in great shape, what better way to prepare than to enter a Half Marathon race the day of departure?

Yes, you heard that right.  Hours before boarding a joyful cruise ship, a crazed Half Marathon needed competing.  “Typical Rome!”

Just a week prior, the Navy Ten Nautical Miler (11.51 miles) garnered a Master’s (+40yr old) win.  Emphasizing running from within and a clear mind, the effort earned an overall place of 4th among 1300 participants in a time of 1h18m10s (6:48 Pace).  The race turned out better than hoped affording time to spare to attend church in Sunday slacks and dress shirt.

Top - Getting my Bib at C-Link; Bottom - Training on Rin's Hill; Right - Finishing the Navy 10 NM (1June2019)

The fitness and aesthetic aspects in a half marathon provided one motivation.  However, another motivation came in the form of my Nanay (Grandmother) Rosing passing just two years ago.  Running the Half honored her as a “Celebration of Life”.  A mere four seconds accomplished the 1h30m a mission that day

Determined to make a better showing, the goal of 1h29min set the stage.  However, this course presented a much harder challenge.  It rolled through the city for two miles, then on Interstate-5 Express way for 3miles and flattened for another 5 miles.  The toughest challenge came at mile 10 where the steep 9% grade of Queen Anne Hill elevated runners 350 feet straight up in one mile.  Just surviving loomed and the race didn’t look like a Personal Record (PR) event, but hope reaching the goal required mental fortitude. 

GETTING INTO SEATTLE

We arrived at SEATAC Airport at 2AM and at my Aunt’s condo by 3AM Saturday morning.  After a needed five hours sleep, the three-mile run to C-Link Stadium to obtain my race bib gave me a fresh start to the day.   Anticipation for a hustle bustle day with family lunch and a mini-high school reunion dinner.

Being fit helps me focus and provides a confidence to speak to everyone as if in the presence of kings or giants.  My mind and body pay respect to those present with full attention.  In previous meetings with high-school classmates, my unhealthy lifestyle cause me to wither or turn to a drink.  However, with mental attentiveness, the night’s laughter and conversation brought joyful camaraderie, reflection, and united good will within us. 

John F. Kennedy High School Class of 87 Mini-Reunion.
Right to left: Fred Baisch, Me, Do and Van Nguyen, Tara and Ed Esteron
Spaghetti Factory, South Center

The amazing night lent itself to a warm comfortable exhaustion appropriate for a great slumber.

MORNING HAS BROKEN LIKE THE FIRST MORNING

A mile separated my Aunt’s home and the start line.  Getting to the venue, factoring a Port-a-Potty break (also considering the long lines) and getting to Coral #1 linked itself into place.  Unfortunately, to reach my coral required me transit through a sea of 12,000 runners, almost two city blocks. Making it just in time, my ritual of saying the “Lords Prayer” for a safe race started my event.

Previous starts in Coral #1 caused anxiety by lining up with running elites.  However, the apprehension didn’t dawn on me today.  In fact, calm determination and concentration ruled the morning.  A special meeting and pleasure cruise awaited me upon completion of the race.

Coral #1 lead the way as the gun sounded.  With quick glances at my watch, my strategy implemented itself immediately like a lightning bolt.  Fast acceleration during first mile after which locking into a pace on the edge of contentment and insanity all the while keeping a harmonious break-neck rhythm.

Starting next to the Seattle Space Needle, the Monorail line shadowed the first mile leading to Westlake Center (the heart of the city) then down to the Columbia Tower.  These same streets just 35 summers past, saw a cigarette in hand and days of wandering youth.  Today, this greying man scorched down the same streets to a left-turn into the I-5 Expressway tunnel.

The dark and quite tunnel eerily sounded like New York City Marathon’s Queensborough Bridge with its patter of runner’s footsteps.  The location that shred hopes of a PR.  However, on this morning, my pace remained steady alongside charging runners as we rolled over the Ship Canal Bridge heading off the Freeway towards the University of Washington.

Negotiating a hard sloping right turn onto Northlake Way and the 5-mile marker, in another mile my dear friends, Rob and Vicky patiently waited to root for me.  The previous day, a message was sent to Vicky to expect me at the Freemont/10K mark around 7:15AM (45 minutes from race start).  Luckily, they arrived five minutes early because my velocity approached them with a 42-minute 10K.  As they cheered me, I yelled back “I LOVE YOU GUYS”.  Seeing them raised my spirits and emboldened my pace.  

Seeing Rob and Vicki on Northlake Way (Photo taken by Vicki Stewart)

With half the race completed, Mile 7 approached quickly.  Running to conserve energy gave me a better chance to survive the looming Queen Anne Hill.  However, my mind said, “Stay with the pack, keep up, and don’t let UP!”  Flashing by the Burke-Gillman Trail and over the Ballard locks, Mile 9 provided the last relatively flat surface.

Queen Anne rapidly approached.

QUEEN ANNE HILL

My path turned right at Mile 10, the beginning of going one mile straight up Queen Anne Hill.  In my 30s, occasionally training this hill instilled a tempered mental toughness.  At 50yrs old, this reacquaintance invoked visions of relentless pain.  My beloved Rin’s Hill near my home rose merely 75 feet elevation change over a quarter mile; Queen Anne towered four times longer and higher.  No hills in West Tennessee compared.    

Approaching the hill, my mind cleared then filled with positive thoughts.  “He we go, this is your MOMENT!”  My cadence steadied but more power resonated in each step.  “Bound and Dance this Hill”, my mind willed my body to pass struggling runners. My system in full throttle and resolute on the task at hand staving off any discomfort for as long as possible.

At the middle of the hill (half-mile up), the hurt started to chip at my pain shield.  By the ¾ mark to the top, the lungs gasped for breath, sunrays penetrated my skull, and wrenching strain found its way into every leg fiber.  “LIFT!” was the constant reminder, “Don’t You Dare Give IN!, Don’t worry about time, just keep form.”  My respect for Queen Anne started many years prior.  A beautiful backdrop to the city, she was an epic challenge to the course.  I felt a strange honor in running her slopes giving my best while never slowing to a walk. 

Any negative clamor met a smile and a singing intonation, “No one can take this from me for I made the MOMENT happen.  Enjoy everything about it, even the discomfort.”

The apex finally arrived.  The one-mile ascent somehow took less than 8 minutes.  The Rock and Roll organizers promised a gorgeous Emerald view at the top.  They did not disappoint with the appearance of Elliot Bay, West Seattle, the Waterfront, Space Needle and, of course, Mount Rainer.  “The Treasures of Seattle” adored since my childhood continued my love Pacific Northwest.  The rest of the race finished downhill. Unfortunately, the most dangerous part of the course.

Thankfully the typical rain of Seattle did not encroach this day.  Wet road might play serious havoc with a slippery decline.  The steep decent crushed quads and missteps could cause severe tumbles to serious injury.  A female runner flew by me with reckless abandon as she flailed her arms.  My tactic utilized controlled caution by shortening the length of my stride and speeding up my leg revolutions as gravity provided the boosted.  The base of the Space Needle closed in, the same location where the race started.

FINISHLINE: “The End of the Race but Not of the Day”

The final kick came with the last turn to the finish line.  Reminding myself, “Be Light, and get “Fast Feet”, my closing dash drew me to the line where the clock read 1h29m and a goal accomplished.  However, hardly any runners populated the finishing area.  
Looking back, just three runners rounded the last turn.  The finishers venue harkened of a ghost town.  Working my way to the results computer, the unofficial results read 1:29:12 and 71st overall (later finding out 9,925 participants completed the half marathon) good enough for the top 1%.  The bulk of runners would approach 20 minutes later.

Rushing back to my Aunt’s home ordered the new mission with little time to celebrate.  My wife and son already packed our bags.  My parents soon arrived with surprise that the race already happened.  With a quick shower, change of clothes, and packing of the car, we made our way across the city to West Seattle for our special meeting.

My Grandmother died the morning of June 9, 2017.  Today was June 9th.  Though the purpose of coming to Seattle mainly involved boarding a ship for a week of fun, no way would we miss the chance to see her on this day.

Our Special Meeting for the Day.

With a kiss on her gravestone, a prayer and showing off my medal to her, we departed uplifted by her spirit.  My watch read 10AM.  The day started with a half marathon, a drive across the city, and visit to my Grandmother all within 4-hours.  A chuckle formed in my chest. I made the most of my time.

Time for Vacation.